Clamp buckle



CLAMP BUCKLE Filed Sept. 50, 1955 I INVENTOR, 7Zicola 962212721 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel accessories and more particularly refers to improvements in buckles adapted for use in connection with shoe straps, belts, and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a buckle of a novel and improved design adapted to form a ready and adjustable connection between two straps or between the ends of a belt.

Another object is to provide a buckle particularly adapted for use in connection with shoe straps, said buckle being readily operated to join or disconnect the straps and lending itself to the possibility of attractive ornamentation.

A further object is to provide a clamp buckle composed of two clamping members, adapted to be readily joined together or disconnected from each other, and adapted to together form an absolutely rigid structure effectively holding and 20 concealing the ends of the straps joined thereby.

A still further object is to provide a clamp buckle adapted to join together the ends of two straps such as are used in shoes, for instance,

, so as to effectively conceal said ends, at the same 25 time forming an attractive ornamentation for the shoe, and assuring the comfort of the wearer by virtue of its smooth and even rear surface.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the descrip- 30 tion proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of my improved 35 buckle as applied in joining two shoe straps;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof through line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross vertical section through line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the female member of the buckle;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the male member thereof;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale through line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section through the female member shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through the male member shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the female member in its open position;

Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of the male member in its open position; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section through 55 a buckle of the type shown in the preceding figures, slightly modified for use in connection with a belt. 7

Each member of the buckle forming the subject of my invention is an independent clamping device adapted to be inserted over and to clamp one of the straps to be joined to the other. In the case of a buckle which is intended to join the ends of two straps which preferably should be cut to a predetermined length, such as straps used in shoes, for instance, only a limited adjustment is necessary, whereas in the case of a belt it is necessary to provide for the possibility of considerable adjustment in order to make the belt larger or smaller.

Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawing refer more particularly to a type of buckle embodying my invention, adapted for use in connecting the ends of two shoe straps or the like. In the same designates the female member which constitutes the visible part of the buckle and 2| designates the male member.

The female member is composed of two channelled sections, one of which, 22, I will call the bottom section, and the other, 23, I will call the top section. Said two sections are hingedly connected at one end, as shown at 24 and can be snapped into closed relation to form an elongated tubular structure, open at both ends, as shown in Fig. 7, said structure having a rectangular section substantially corresponding in width to the width of the strap to be served thereby, and having a height somewhat greater than the thickness of the strap.

Said tubular structure is preferably formed with a curved outline, as shown, but if desired the same can, of course, be made straight.

The inner surface 25 of the top section 23 is provided with a longitudinal relatively shallow passage 26, which extends from the hinged end of said section to a point approximately midway of its length. Said passage is defined by a channelled shell 21, raised from the inner surface 25, said channelled shell being formed with a serrated rib 28, extending transversely of and outwardly projecting from the outer surface of said shell.

When the hinged structure formed by sections 22, 23 is closed the points of serrated rib 28 will remain in proximity of the inner surface 29 of bottom section 22.

It follows that if the end of a strap 30 is inserted through the opening 3| at the hinged end of the female member while its two sections are in the open position shown in Fig. 9 and. the two sections are subsequently closed, the strap will remain clamped between the serrated rib 28 and inner surface 29 of the bottom section, as Fig. 7

clearly shows.

The male member, shown in detail in Figs. 5, 8, and 10, comprises an open top box-like shell 32, open at the rear end 33, the width and height of said shell corresponding to the width and height of the tubular passage formed by the closed female member, so as to register therewith. The 10 length of said shell 32 is about one-half the length of the female member, so that when said shell is inserted through the end of the female member, opposite the hinged end, as shown in Fig. 2, there will remain a clearance space indicated by the letter b between the front end of shell 32 and the serrated rib 28 of the female member. Such a clearance space will, therefore, allow a limited adjustment of the female memher along the end of strap 30 clamped thereby.

Shell 32 constitutes one of the elements of a clamping device for the other strap 33; theother element being a plate 34, hinged at 35 to the rear end of shell 32. Said plate is formed with a serrated rib 36 bent substantially at right angles thereto, adapted to firmly grip and clamp the end of strap 33' against the inner bottom surface 31 of 'shell 32 when plate 34 is bent down over the shell 32 to form a cover therefor, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

Shell 32 is so designed that when plate 34 is lowered to its closed position, shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the edge portions of the sides of shell 32 will snap into engagement with and retain plate 34 in its closed position. For the purpose of forcing plate 34 to its open position the front wall 38 of shell 32 is provided with a notch 39, permitting the insertion of any suitable pointed implement adapted to bear against the inner surface of plate 34.

Plate 34 is made of springy metal and is formed with a front extension 40, acting as a leaf spring, which will pass through passage 26, formed by channelled shell 21, 'when the male member is inserted within the female member.

45 Extension 40 is preferably formed with a shoulder 4|, acting as a stop preventing the male member from being inserted too far within the female member. The tip end 42 of extension 40 is formed with a ridge or tooth 43, which at the 50 end of the inward travel of the male member will snap into engagement with the end edge 44 of the top section 23 of the female member, as Fig.

2 clearly shows.

The snapping into engagement of spring exa tension 40 will, therefore, effect a positive connection between the two clamping members. The male and female members of the buckle can thus be quickly connected and just as quickly disconnected by means which are positive and which are effectively concealed, only the upper surface of the female member being exposed, while the part of the body of the wearer against which the buckle is applied comes into contact with the smooth even surface provided by the bottom section 22 of the female member.

The length of shell 32 is suiiicient to allow a limited adjustment of the end of strap 33, clamped between the bottom surface 31 of said shell and serrated rib 36, as Fig. 8 clearly shows. 70 While such a limited adjustment as is made possible by both the male and female members is sufficient for straps which are to be joined end to end, in the case of a belt where a slipping adjustment is required, the possibility of effecting a 75 considerableadjustment should be provided for.

In Fig. 11 I show a buckle identical in all respects with the one previously described, except that the bottom of the female member is provided with an opening 45 intermediate its ends. The buckle is shown with its male member 46 clamping the end 41 of a belt, the other end of which, 48, is inserted through opening 45 and is clamped rearwardly of said opening at 49 by the female member.

It is obvious that by virtue of this arrangement, the female member can be clamped at any desired point along the belt previous to its being joined with the male member, so that the length of the belt can be adjusted at will. Otherwise the operation of the buckle is identical with that of the buckle shown in Figs. 1 to 10.

It must be understood that when closed the two sections composing the female and male members will securely interlock by means of a male and female burr catch, as indicated at 505l in Fig. 9, or in any other suitable manner.

An' important advantage of my improved buckle is that the two members of which it is composed can be very exactly adjusted along the straps to be joined, so that the straps will be neither too loose nor too tight without the necessity of pulling the straps to a point beyond that at which their junction will ultimately be effected. In this respect the buckle represents an improvement over buckles of the ordinary type which are attached to one end of a strap and are provided with pins insertable in perforations provided in the other strap. With such a type of buckle in order to fasten one strap to the other it is necessary to tighten the straps to a point beyond that at which said straps will remain after the connection has actually been effected. This extra tightening of the straps is especially objectionable in the case of shoe straps where the fastening operation may result in an undue pressure having to be exerted against the instep in order to have the straps adjusted to the proper length when connected.

The drawing illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention. It is obvious, however, that its constructional details may vary to a certain extent from those shown without departing from the inventive idea. The drawing should, therefore, be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense.

I accordingly reserve the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A buckle comprising a female clamping member composed of two sections pivotally connected at one end and interlocking at the other end, said two sections together forming a tubular structure having a substantially rectangular section, and a male clamping member composed of two pivotally connected clamping sections, said male clamping member being bodily insertable endwise and fitting snugly within said female clamping member so "as to be entirely concealed thereby, one of said clamping sections having a longitudinal depressible spring extension projecting beyond said female clamping. member and snapping into engagement with the outer edge thereof.

2. A buckle comprising a female clamping member composed of two sections pivotally connected at one end and interlocking at the other end, said two sections together forming a tubular structure having a substantially rectangular section, and a male clamping member composed of two pivotally connected clamping sections, said male clamping member being bodily insertable endwise and fitting snugly within said female clamping member so as to be entirely concealed thereby, the upper section of said female clamping member having a longitudinal passage, and the upper clamping section of said male member having a longitudinal depressible spring extension insertable through said passage, projecting beyond said female clamping member and snapping into engagement with the outer edge of the upper section thereof.

3. A buckle comprising a female clamping member composed of two sections pivotally connected at one end and interlocking at the other end, said two sections together forming a tubular structure having a substantially rectangular section, and a male clamping member composed of two pivotally connected clamping sections, said male clamping member being bodily insertable endwise and fitting snugly within said female clamping member so as to be entirely concealed thereby, the upper section of said female clamping member having a longitudinal passage, and the upper clamping section of said male member having a longitudinal depressible spring extension insertable through said passage, projecting beyond said female clamping member and snapping into engagement with the outer edge of the upper section thereof, said female clamping member having an opening through its lower surface, through which a strap clamped by said member may be inserted and deflected from the plane of a strap clamped by the male clamping member.

NICOLA TAVANI. 

